Back to week ago, if you remember well, Microsoft has announced the Skype for Windows 8, a touch-friendly app that appeared in the Windows Store the same day of Windows 8 went on sale. In todays Windows Phone 8 event, the new OS getting its big reveal, and the company is following up with a WP8 version of Skype, which Microsoft says is coming soon.

Like the new Windows 8 app, it runs in the background, delivering push notifications even when you’re looking at something else. In particular, now that Windows Phone allows for three different tile sizes, you can view the Skype tile in small, medium or large formats, with the largest displaying your latest message. (All tile sizes show an unread message count.)

Other similarities to the Win 8 app,will give the fact that these phones have smaller screens. There’s a favorites list, for one, along with a shortcut that makes it easy to toggle between open IM conversations. As on Windows 8, the app is deeply integrated with the People Hub, so that Skype handles appear on contact cards and incoming Skype calls look the same as any other. On the messaging side, there’s an impressively large collection of emoticons (TMI-face, anybody?). It’s also possible to start group chats, as well as change the conversation topic. So far, it’s unclear when, exactly, the app will be available for download.

It’s official, the new version of mobile operating system from Microsoft, Windows Phone 8 is presented to the public at a conference (not reported), which was held in San Francisco. Let’s waiste no time and see what the Windows Phone 8 has.

Reinvented the smartphone around you

With over 120 000 applications, Microsoft’s Marketplace is now available in 191 countries and in 50 different languages. The presentation focuses on the unique approach the publisher with respect to the user that he intends to place at the center of its considerations.

Thus, Windows Phone 8 introduces the advanced customization tiles introduced with Windows Phone 7 while giving these tiles and a new utility through “Live Apps”.

These applications are integrated background in the home screen but also the lock screen: they provide data gleaned from your social networks, RSS or just locally so that you have at all times a quick overview content that you feel relevant.

Optimized applications, and newcomers

Microsoft seems to have convinced major publishers since they have the opportunity for developing optimized versions of their flagship applications specifically for Windows 8 Phone: CNN, Twitter, Facebook, Skype.

Sense data : control the use of data plan
If some of you know Onavo, they will not be disoriented by Data Sense: Microsoft’s own functionality can compress the contents of the browser to deliver (as measured by the editor) pages up to 45% views more similar package.

Sense data allows a mapping of resource-intensive applications and check if the package is Data near its limit or not.

Kids corner : Parental Control

Windows Phone 8 to create a “session” dedicated to children so they can have access to some terminal applications and not others.

Accessible from the lock screen, just lateral movement to move to the protected environment dedicated to games, music and multimedia content in general, but for children.

People Hub : Centralization of contacts

Centralization of contacts already present on Windows Phone 7 and other operating systems is embellished “Hubs” kind of files in which you can separate business contacts, family and friends.

These hubs are connected with all owners of Windows Phone 8, but also with other users owners competing terminals (but experience less complete, of course.)

It is therefore possible to share notes, private messages, calendars with members of a HUB and all the information will be updated live on all connected terminals.

The photo application

As is customary, the photo application for Windows Phone 8 is no exception to two trends: sharing on social networks and filters.

Widely presented by Nokia, Photosynth technology (filters) is native on Windows Phone 8 and the application Lense launched by Nokia. Sending files to skydrive (7 GB available) is automatic and there is no deadline for online.

Windows Phone companion … And iTunes

The Windows Phone application which we already talked about here will allow you to sync your iTunes playslists necessary without prior configuration.

Pandora, the icing on the cake :

With the launch of Windows Phone 8, the publisher offers one year of access to online streaming service Pandora and without advertising. It will be interesting to see if the service will be available in Europe mainly through subsidized operators offers.